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A court has ordered the prompt discharge of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from detention by ICE, concluding his ongoing confinement is without legal authority.

"Since Abrego Garcia's release after wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been taken back into custody, again without legal justification," the judge stated in her order.

The case stems from a mistaken deportation to El Salvador earlier this year, which US authorities later acknowledged was an error. After his repatriation to the United States to face human smuggling charges, he was held in federal custody.

In her decision, the judge pointed out that the government lacks a current removal order, which effectively blocks them from removing Mr. Abrego Garcia "at this time."

Background of the Legal Challenge

The legal proceedings involve conflicting assertions. While the Trump administration argues that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, he vehemently denies this allegation.

He has also entered a not guilty plea to the conspiracy charges, which are part of a ongoing trial in Tennessee.

Terms of Freedom

The judge, who was overseeing his challenge to deportation in a federal court, determined that he must now comply with the conditions of his bond from custody in Tennessee. This decision shifts his monitoring to the jurisdiction handling his criminal case.

This ruling represents a notable turn in a complex legal battle involving claims of mistaken imprisonment and disputed criminal associations.